An out-of-school influence on my academic development would definitely stem from my sister, Emily. Even with a four year gap, we have grown up extremely close to one another. Reason being, both my parents have been absent in my life due to health issues, but my sister was always there to motivate me and push me to do my best in school! It works vise versa, whenever we are stressed out, we would help each other break down the material and study together. I remember she would come home extremely stressed out for how much material she needed to study for a test. She was crying, and that hurt me. That's just the way it is when the one you love hurts, you hurt with them. So, I said, "No Emily we can get it done I'll help you." Even though I was four years younger than her, I still quizzed her on vocabulary words and did my best pronouncing them. Either way, she understood the just of it. When she went off to college, I realized how dependent I was on having her there as my sister, a mother, and a best friend.
When she wen't off to college, I felt completely heartbroken and at a loss. Now, we don't have a usual sibling relationship. Usually siblings, they fight, they love each other, but are not as close as we are. That is because they have their other family members like their parents. My dad never came home straight from work, he would be getting liquored up at the bar every night. I would have to arrange what I would have for dinner, how I was getting home from my sports and school, completely independent. It was like having my own apartment. Not having a mother to watch over me and Emily cut my father deep, and I know that that was painful for him to watch. Either way, he should have taken responsibility for the family he still had living with him. He just never could have gotten it together. My sister was the rock to my family sticking it out together. My dad is an engineer and is good with Math so he use to help me with my math homework in elementary school. Some of my friends were good influences on me doing well in school, and some I have stumbled upon in my life, were not. I tried my best to separate the good from the bad influences. Other than that, I didn't have much other outside influence other than a select few friends and my sister.
It was not right how independent I had to be growing up, but I never was depressed when my sister was there. It was almost not a good thing how at a loss I was when she went to school. I was too reliant on her always being there. I had to quickly reach out to friends, and my friends' family for help along the way. Emily leaving for school was a test for myself to become my own person, not just Emily's little sister. Teachers, faculty, and older kids always viewed me as Emily's little sister. However, once she left I was Katie Lyons. Someone with an entire different personality than my sister. Even my principal told me my senior year in high school, "It's funny you guys are sisters, I would have never thought you both have completely different personalities." She was more reserved than me. Once she left and I became my own person I was a free-spirited, crazy girl with always something to say. I went from the girl in the back of the class the kids would cheat off, to the homecoming queen and class vice-president in the matter of a year.
When she wen't off to college, I felt completely heartbroken and at a loss. Now, we don't have a usual sibling relationship. Usually siblings, they fight, they love each other, but are not as close as we are. That is because they have their other family members like their parents. My dad never came home straight from work, he would be getting liquored up at the bar every night. I would have to arrange what I would have for dinner, how I was getting home from my sports and school, completely independent. It was like having my own apartment. Not having a mother to watch over me and Emily cut my father deep, and I know that that was painful for him to watch. Either way, he should have taken responsibility for the family he still had living with him. He just never could have gotten it together. My sister was the rock to my family sticking it out together. My dad is an engineer and is good with Math so he use to help me with my math homework in elementary school. Some of my friends were good influences on me doing well in school, and some I have stumbled upon in my life, were not. I tried my best to separate the good from the bad influences. Other than that, I didn't have much other outside influence other than a select few friends and my sister.
It was not right how independent I had to be growing up, but I never was depressed when my sister was there. It was almost not a good thing how at a loss I was when she went to school. I was too reliant on her always being there. I had to quickly reach out to friends, and my friends' family for help along the way. Emily leaving for school was a test for myself to become my own person, not just Emily's little sister. Teachers, faculty, and older kids always viewed me as Emily's little sister. However, once she left I was Katie Lyons. Someone with an entire different personality than my sister. Even my principal told me my senior year in high school, "It's funny you guys are sisters, I would have never thought you both have completely different personalities." She was more reserved than me. Once she left and I became my own person I was a free-spirited, crazy girl with always something to say. I went from the girl in the back of the class the kids would cheat off, to the homecoming queen and class vice-president in the matter of a year.